Gary Player rarely feels his 72 years.

Gary Player takes a shot from the first fairway. The 72-year-old will break Arnold Palmer's record this week by competing in his 51st Masters. He expects to be back again next year. (Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff)

The nine-time major champion is 20 pounds under his playing weight of a generation ago. He still walks -- briskly -- the four miles or so that a round of golf requires, and he often shoots his age or better. He makes daily trips to the gym to lift weights.

On Tuesday, though, Augusta National Golf Club subtly reminded the ageless wonder how old he is.

First, he failed to reach the green with his second shot on two par-4s: the 450-yard seventh and the 465-yard 18th. Then he answered questions about playing in his 51st Masters Tournament and passing Arnold Palmer for the most starts ever at Augusta National.

"Most people my age are dead," he said. "To be playing at Augusta at my age is a great thrill for me."

His feelings show. He practically danced through practice rounds Monday and Tuesday. He kept pace with men half his age everywhere but on the tee box and dazzled the large galleries following him with brilliant bunker shots and putts.

He expects to play the Masters again next April, if not beyond.

He stopped short of committing to play beyond this week, but don't be surprised if he challenges Fred McLeod, who played the Masters every year during his 70s before retiring after the 1962 tournament at age 79.

"I see no reason at this stage to not play again," Player said. "I've been scoring my age and breaking my age a lot on the Champions Tour, and on a normal golf course I can still do that and play well."

Augusta National is far from a normal golf course. The layout measured 7,040 yards when Player won his last Masters in 1978. Now it's 7,445.

He considers breaking 80 to be under par, and he's done that in at least one round each of the past three years. His second-round 77 here last April bested 29 others, including some of the game's young stars such as Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas.

"Most people my age are dead. To be playing at Augusta at my age is a great thrill for me."
-- Gary Player ()

Ian Woosnam, the 1991 Masters champion, marvels at Player's longevity. Woosnam turned 50 this year and finds it "mind-boggling" that Player has played in as many Masters as Woosnam has celebrated birthdays.

"When I'm his age, I won't be as excited as he is," Woosnam said. "I'll be excited just to be walking around."

The galleries keep Player young. The patrons cheer him and ask him to pose for photos and sign autographs regardless of the length of his drives. He made his rounds -- shake hands, smile, say a few words -- after Tuesday's 18 holes without pausing for a drink of water, let alone a break.

Augusta National is as much a fountain of youth as a reminder of age for Player.

"Enthusiasm is one of the great essences of life as you get older," Player said. "I should know. And I'm feeling great."

Adam Van Brimmer is a columnist for the Savannah Morning News.